Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on Saturday that compensation of Rs 2 lakh for each bereaved household would be drawn from the Prime Minister's National Relief Fund following a stampede at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata. Those who sustained injuries are set to receive a payment of Rs 50,000 each.
A post on the Prime Minister's Office's X account stated that an ex-gratia payment of Rs 2 lakh from the PMNRF would be disbursed to the next of kin of each person who lost their life. The Prime Minister conveyed condolences over the incident, characterising it as deeply distressing in a post on X, and noted separately that local authorities had been directed to extend all necessary support to those affected.
The Prime Minister's Office put out a statement characterising the crowd crush in Kolkata as a matter of deep concern, and expressed hope that those who sustained injuries would make a full return to health as soon as their conditions allowed.
West Bengal Governor RN Ravi conveyed condolences to the affected families, while district authorities stated that relief efforts for those displaced or harmed remained underway. A post on the Lok Bhavan X account conveyed condolences over fatalities recorded at a Durga Puja pandal in Kolkata following a stampede at the venue, and extended condolences to the affected families during the period of loss.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that he was praying for the swift recovery of the injured and announced that all engagements he had scheduled in West Bengal for Sunday would be put on hold in light of the incident. Shah also spoke with West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari by phone on the matter and conveyed condolences over the lives lost.
In a post on X, Shah stated that reports of injuries from a crowd crush at the Chorbagan Sarbojanin Durga Puja pandal had come to his attention and characterised the situation as one that troubled him greatly. He noted that he had spoken directly with Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, extended condolences to the families of those who lost their lives, and expressed hope for peace for the deceased. Shah also stated that arrangements were under way to connect those who were hurt with the highest-quality care available, and announced his intention to visit those receiving treatment for their injuries the following day.
Kolkata Police linked the incident at the Sarada Park (Chor Bagan) Puja Pandal in the Girish Park PS area to a dense concentration of pandal-hoppers who had sought shelter from rain falling at around 19.40 hrs on Saturday, with the exit gate identified as the location where the situation developed.
